SEMA eNews Vol. 22, No. 21, May 23, 2019

NHTSA to Extend Record Retention Requirements for Vehicle and Tire Manufacturers

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is proposing to require manufacturers of motor vehicles, tires and child-restraint systems to retain records for 10 years rather than five. The requirement is found in Part 576 of NHTSA’s regulations governing record retention. Information covered includes warranty claims, consumer complaints, field reports and other records concerning alleged and proven motor vehicle or motor-vehicle equipment defects and malfunctions that may be related to motor-vehicle safety. A provision in the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act requires NHTSA to lengthen the retention time period to at least 10 years.

There is no change in the record retention requirements for motor-vehicle equipment manufacturers, which must retain for five years the underlying NHTSA “early warning reporting” records of a claim or notice involving a death. Equipment manufacturers must also retain records for customer satisfaction campaigns, consumer advisories, recalls or other activities involving the repair or replacement of vehicles or equipment.